Kaliyugi Avatars & Satpurusha

For the benefit of the devotees and for establishing dharma, Shree Datta has time and again descended in the form of Avatars and Satpurusha in this age of Kali. This page contains information about the important Avatars of Shree Datta in Kaliyug and Satpurushas in the Datta Sampradaya.

Shree Shreepad Vallabh

Shreepad Vallabh Maharaj is the first Avatar of Shree Datta in Kaliyug. He was born to Shri Appalraja Sarma and Sumati in Pithapuram as a result of a boon bestowed by Shree Datta on Sumati. Once,there was a sraddha ceremony in their home and Shree Datta taking the form of a wandering mendicant asked for food from Sumati. Without thinking twice she gave him food considering him to be Vishnu himself. Shree Datta, pleased with her conduct offered her a boon and showed her his true glorious self. She said that he should be born to her as her son and make her happy. Shree Datta agreed and a year later he was born to her in the form of Shreepad Maharaj. Please visit this page for more information on Shree Shreepad Vallabh.

Shree Narsimha Saraswati

Narsimha Saraswati Maharaj is the second Avatar of Shree Datta in Kaliyug. He was born to Madhav and Amba at Karanja. It is said that Shreepad Shreevallabh had blessed a woman named Ambika by promising her that he would be born to her as Narsimha Saraswati in her next life. Ambika was about to end her life along with her son because of their dire circumstances. Shreepad Shreevallabh Maharaj stopped her from committing that sin and asked her to observe the vrat of Shani Pradosh before blessing her with the boon. The complete life story of Shree Narsimha Saraswati is given in Shree GuruCharitra. When he was born it is believed that the first word uttered by him was the holy OM. Please visit this page for more information on Shree Narsimha Saraswati.

Shree Swami Samarth

Shree Swami Samarth is considered to be the third Avatar of Shree Datta in Kaliyug. It is believed that Shree Narsimha Saraswati went to the Kardalivan to take samadhi. He remained in that position for three hundred years and an anthill grew around him. One day, by accident, a woodcutter hacked into the anthill and out emerged Swami Samarth to resume his teaching. He visited a lot of places such as Puri and Benares before settling down in Akkalkot. Please visit this page for more information on Swami.

Shree Saibaba

Shree Saibaba of Shirdi is considered to be an Avatar of Lord Dattatreya. He was a popular saint and is worshipped by people all around the world. Saibaba did not believe in the caste system and although he lived the life of an ascetic, advised his followers to lead a normal family life. The story of his life and his numerous miracles are detailed in Sai SatCharitra which was written by Hemadpant, one of Sai's devotees.Please visit this page for more information on Baba.

Shree Samarth Ramdas

Shree Ramdas was a very prominent saint and poet and is considered to be a great devotee of Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman. He was also the Guru of Shivaji Maharaj. He was a prolific writer and has written a lot of spiritual and devotional literature such as the Dasbodh. As per the book Kardalivan: Ek Anubhuti, Shree Ramdas got the darshan of Shree Datta at Mahurgad. For more information on Shree Ramdas please visit this page.

Shree Gondavalekar Maharaj

Shree Brahma Chaitanya was a 19th century saint and a devotee of Lord Rama. He firmly believed that one can lead a spiritual life without giving up family life. He laid particular stress on naam-japa and bhajans. He taught people chanting of the mantra "Shree Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram". All his pravachans are collected in a book and for anyone wishing to lead a spiritual life they are a treasure trove of knowledge. For more information on Shree Maharaj please visit this page.

Shree Manik Prabhu

Shree Manik Prabhu was a great saint and is believed by many to be an incarnation of Shree Datta. He was born in 1817 and attained samadhi in 1865. He lived during the times of Swami Samarth and Saibaba and they often met and discussed spiritual matters.He stressed on the importance of bhakti. The village of Maniknagar is named after him. Please visit this website for more information on Shree Manik Prabhu.

Shree Vasudevanand Saraswati

Shree Tembe Swami is a very important figure in the tradition of Dattatreya worship. He has written numerous stotras and hymns (such as the Karuna Tripadi) on Lord Datta. In fact, all his activities were directed by Shree Datta to the point where there remained very little difference between the bhakta and the Lord and hence, he is also considered to be an incarnation of Lord Datta. He laid a lot of emphasis on bhakti and according to him the primary objective of human life is to obtain liberation and that is only possible if one renders devotional service at the lotus feet of the Lord. Please visit this page for more information on Shree Tembe Swami.

Shree Ranga Avadhoot Maharaj

Shree Ranga Avadhoot was born Pandurang Valame in Gohdra in the year 1898. He took part in India's independence movement. Shree Ranga Avadhoot's contribution towards the development of Dattatreya worship is quite substantial. He was a disciple of Shree Tembe Swamy and like his Guru, wrote a number of hymns and works on Shree Datta. Of particular note is the very important Datta Bavani, which is sung in the Shree Gurudev Datta Mandir,Vakola every Thursday. For more information on Maharaj please visit this this website.

Shree Gajanan Maharaj

Shree Gajanan Maharaj was a saint from Shegaon. He is considered by his devotees to be an incarnation of Lord Ganesha and Lord Dattatreya. There is no information about his date of birth, but it is known that he took Samadhi on 8th September 1910. A temple is built on his Samadhi in Shegaon. For more information on Shree Gajanan Maharaj please visit this page.

Shree Balekundri Maharaj

Shree Pant Maharaj of Balekundri was born Dattopant in Belgaum and was a prominent figure of the Avadhut Sampradaya to which he was introduced by his Guru - Shree Balappa. The collection of his verses called "Shree Datta Premlahari" is quite popular. He laid great stress on bhakti and even raised a temple to Shree Datta. Please visit this website for more information on Shree Pant Maharaj.

Shree Gagangiri Maharaj

Shree Gagangiri Maharaj was born Shripad Patankar in the Patan district of Maharashtra. He belonged to the Nath Sampradaya of which Shree Datta is considered to be the Adi-Guru. Maharaj travelled a lot throughout India and did penance at several places. He started the custom of celebrating Datta Jayanti in his ashrams. For more information about Shree Gagangiri please visit this website.

Shree Satam Maharaj

Shree Satam Maharaj's childhood name was Shankar, because his parents believed that he was a gift from Lord Shiva. In his childhood and youth he was aimless and was even involved in nefarious activities. However, some pivotal points in his life made him turn his gaze inwards. One such point was the meeting with his Guru - Abdul Rehman Baba who made him see the eternal light of spiritual knowledge. And thus Valya Koli became Valmiki. There is a very nice Datta Mandir in Matunga East where Shree Satam Maharaj's padukas are also venerated. For more information on Satam Maharaj please visit this website.

Shree Nityanand Swami

Bhagawan Nityanand was a Guru who was born in Kerala, South India. He gained a reputation for miracles and wonder cures though he never took credit for these miracles maintaining that everything happens by the will of the Lord. He settled down in the village of Ganeshpuri where he did most of his spiritual work. He was considered an Avadhuta always absorbed in a transcendental state. His Samadhi is located at Ganeshpuri in the Samadhi Mandir. For more information on Shree Nityanand please visit this page.

Shree Pandurangashram Swami

Swami Pandurangashram was the eighth guru of the Chitrapur Saraswat Brahmin community for 52 years, from 1862 to 1925 (the longest on record as of 2012). He was a Sanskrit scholar, a Yogi and a jyothishi (astrologer) as well. He believed in Dharma (the correct way to live one's life) and was trained in the Sanskrit Scriptures. Under his administration, several infrastructural changes were brought about in Chitrapur Village in Shirali and it was made as a "model village" with aspects of town-planning. Swami Pāndurangāshram took samadhi in 1915 and was succeeded by his shishya Ānandāshram. His samādhi (Shrine) is located within the premises of the Chitrapur Math in Shirali.

Shree Adi Shankaracharya

Adi Shankaracharya was a Hindu philosopher from Kaladi in present day Eranukulam district, Kerala who consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. However, towards the later part of his short life, he emphasized the importance of devotion for God as a means of spiritual development and liberation from samsara. He composed a number of stotras and hymns to that end. One of these is the famous Bhaja Govindam. He wrote commentaries on a number of Upanishads and the Srimad Bhagwad Geeta. For more information about the Guru, please visit this page. You may also download the file below.

Shree Pachlegaokar Maharaj

In the year 1908, Parampujya Shri Sant Pachlegaonkar Maharaj was born in Pachlegaon a small village in Marathwada region (Parbhani District) of Maharashtra. He was a born yogi who not only worshipped God but was also a freedom fighter who established Mukteshwar Dal to teach children the art of warfare with lathis and swords. He is the founder of Samasthi Dharma and gave spiritual teachings to his devotees. He built the Mukteshwar Ashram in Nagpur which is engaged in various social activities such as organizing blood donation camps etc. Various spiritual programs are conducted by the ashram throughout the year such as Guru Pournima and Datta Jayanti. Weekly activities include upasana on Thursdays.For more information about Maharaj please visit this site.